If you haven’t been or can’t make it over to Doha to see Dia Azzawi’s major retrospective at Mathaf then do make a trip to Meem Gallery as soon as possible. The Dubai space has a 10-metre long painting installed in the gallery, which takes up the entire space and is a bold statement from both gallery and artist.
Azzawi, a 77-year-old Iraqi artist is one of his generations foremost artists with many of his works delving into the social political upheaval the region has seen and the aftermath of war. The exhibition in Doha is believed to be the largest ever solo exhibition of works by an Arab artist and contains work from across several decades.
This large piece in Meem is from 2015-2016 and is titled My Broken Dream. It is a kaleidoscopic view of daggers, swords, limbs and organic shapes rendered in shades of black, white and grey. It conveys suffering and confusion and the title undermines his feeling of tragedy and loss perhaps when it comes to his homeland.
If nothing else, the sheer size and scope of the painting deserves reflection and it may well prompt an unplanned trip to Qatar to see the rest of his oeuvre on show.
* My Broken Dream runs until January 10. www.meemartgallery.com
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
TOURNAMENT INFO
2018 ICC World Twenty20 Asian Western Regional Qualifier
The top three teams progress to the Asia Qualifier
Thursday results
UAE beat Kuwait by 86 runs
Qatar beat Bahrain by five wickets
Saudi Arabia beat Maldives by 35 runs
Friday fixtures
10am, third-place playoff – Saudi Arabia v Kuwait
3pm, final – UAE v Qatar
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
